


look out, world, that would be enough

by Eorlingas



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-14
Updated: 2015-12-14
Packaged: 2018-05-06 14:33:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5420696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eorlingas/pseuds/Eorlingas
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Something's going on with Kara. Thomas is determined to find out what.</p>
            </blockquote>





	look out, world, that would be enough

 

Something's going on with Kara. 

 

It had started this morning when they'd left for Berlin. Considering it was just Thomas, Skye and herself, she'd been on solo pilot duty. Usually, she left the door to the cockpit ajar, a silent invitation for anyone who wanted to fly shotgun to do so. Today, however, the door had been firmly closed. 

 

Later on, when she used the intercom to announce their imminent descent, she hadn't done any of her usual "airline pilot" routine that she liked to do when it was a small handful of trusted friends aboard as it was today. Something about being in flight tended to bring out Kara's lighter, almost silly side. With the exception of today. She'd spoken in a clipped monotone over the speaker system, and when Skye had cracked some truly horrible pun in the hanger - _thanks, Grant_ \- Kara had barely mustered a smile instead of rolling her eyes as she normally would have done.

 

Now Thomas and Kara are at some fancy art gala posing as the married owners of some small but wildly successful business empire while Skye runs the computers from behind the scenes and Thomas _knows_ something's up. Oh, Kara's nothing if not a consummate professional - focused, convincing, and discreet. Yet she's as distant and withdrawn as she possibly could be without compromising her cover. When the comm's go out inexplicably and don't come back until it's almost too late for Skye to warn them that somebody's about to walk in on them in the office of the rumored-to-be-AIM host, and Thomas pulls her into the hallway to pretend to be lost and dazed newlyweds, he's certain.

 

Skye's noticed too. They meet up halfway through the operation to deal with the communication situation and Kara excuses herself to keep watch while they finish. Skye frowns thoughtfully in the direction of the door through which the other woman has exited. "Something's wrong."

 

 "You're telling me. She gave me the 'strictly business' tongue." Thomas doesn't quite manage to dodge the blow Skye delivers to his shoulder. "Ow!"

 

"Fix it," she commands.

 

"Why do you assume this is my fault??"

 

"It's always your fault," Skye pronounces calmly.

 

Thomas has to concede there.

 

- 

 

After the mission is successfully completed, they check into a hotel in the city instead of flying back right away. Thomas is grateful for the opportunity to sleep in a real bed; as comfortable as the planes they fly are, he's never quite liked the idea of being at rest and at motion at once. 

 

Sleep will have to wait, however. Kara had disappeared after checking in and she hasn't been answering her texts. Thomas is starting to get worried when he at last locates her at the hotel bar.

 

While he's relieved to have found her, he's unnerved nonetheless. Kara rarely drinks, and especially not in insecure public locations. It's why it's one of the last places he'd thought to check. 

 

When he slides into the bar stool next to her and orders a bourbon neat, she barely gives him a glance. He waits until his beverage is in front of him and the bartender's moved to help other customers before he speaks.

 

"So... I don't suppose groveling would do any good?"

 

She looks at him now, mild curiosity in her eyes. "Why would you be groveling?"

 

Thomas shrugs. "You're supposed to tell me."

 

Kara shakes her head and returns to contemplating her glass. "It's not... You didn't do anything, Thomas." There's a strange gentleness to her voice, one that he doesn't associate with her anger.

 

"Okay... If that's true, what _is_ the problem?" he prompts.

 

She hesitates. "It's fine. I'll be fine."

 

" _Kara_."

 

She's silent for a long time. "I thought I might be pregnant," she tells her glass.

 

Somehow, Thomas manages not to fall off the bar stool. He hears his own voice, remarkably calm, ask, "And?"

 

"No."

 

Thomas blinks, trying to sort out the emotions whirling within him. "That's a good thing?"

 

Kara looks at him like he's grown a second head. "Yes."

 

He nods furiously. "Right. Of course. What a relief." The words ring hollow in his own ears but he lets out a weak laugh before tipping back the contents of his glass.

 

"Thomas."

 

"Yes?"

 

She stares at him for a long moment before looking away. "Nothing."

 

He lets out a long breath and passes a hand over his face. "It's not nothing, Kara."

 

"No, it is, Thomas. It's _literally_ nothing." An edge has crept into her voice. 

 

"See, right there." He points. "This isn't nothing." He leans closer to her, lowering his voice. "C'mon, Kara. Talk to me," he urges.

 

"What do you want me to say, Thomas?" she hisses. "That I've never been more terrified in my life? What would _I_ do with a baby? How could I possibly be a mother? How could I be so - " she stops and moves her gaze to the bar top. "But it's a non-issue. Everything's fine." 

 

He takes a moment to let this information sink in as his own heart rate, which has been doing some Olympian type stuff in the last three minutes, slows into a more regular rhythm. He speaks at last. "You know - you know I'd support you no matter what, right?" 

 

Kara nods absently. 

 

"Hey. I'm serious." Thomas grabs her hand from where it rests on the marble. She looks at him, and he can read the doubt in her eyes. He doesn't know if it's ever mattered that someone believes him as much as it does in this moment. "I'm with you, okay? One-hundred percent." He cracks a small smile. "Not that you really need me. But I'm here as long as you want me."

 

Her eyes search his for a long moment before she nods slowly, exhaling audibly. He reluctantly releases her hand and they both return to their drinks.

 

He hesitates just before the glass reaches his lips, furrowing his brow slightly at the one in her hand. "Hey, you're sure, right?" 

 

She follows his line of sight and rolls her eyes. "One, this is club soda. Two, _really_? Yes, I'm sure."

 

He lets out a breath. "Okay. Okay, good." 

 

She taps her fingernails against her glass. "Have you ever thought about it? Kids?"

 

"Honestly? Yeah. But mostly in the context of my own childhood. How I'd do it differently, I guess." He shrugs, breaking his fixed gaze on the amber liquid. "How about you?"

 

Kara bites her lip. "I wanted to be a mom when I was a kid. My mom was pretty much the greatest person I knew, so it made sense that I'd want to be like her. Once I got into SHIELD, though, I kinda gave up on the idea. Hard to see where a kid would fit into this kind of life. And now, it's..." She laughs shakily. "Honestly the idea kinda gives me a panic attack."

 

They're quiet. Thomas takes his time finishing his drink, relishing the burn in his throat. The bar, while not having a huge quantity of people to begin with, is now practically empty save for themselves. When Thomas speaks, he thinks maybe he can use the alcohol as an excuse, despite the fact that he's not even buzzed. Maybe the late hour, then. Either way, he takes a risk.

 

"It wouldn't be terrible, you know," he says lightly. At her questioning look, he continues with a lazy grin. "C'mon. My looks, your brains? Kid would be _lethal_."

 

A smile starts in spite of herself. "But what if they got _my_ looks and _your_ brains?" She sighs in faux disappointment. "Can't win 'em all." 

 

Thomas pulls a face of mock pity. "Now, Kara, don't talk about yourself like that. _Many_ people think you're _rather decent looking_ \- " he's cut off by a swift kick in the shins.

 

Kara hops gracefully down from her stool. She runs one hand up the length of his arm as he winces towards his legs. "In that case, you won't mind finding a couch to sleep on tonight," she says sweetly before flouncing away. "Maybe somebody more _decent looking_ will take pity on you," she calls over her shoulder.

 

"I deserved that," Thomas mutters. He slaps a few bills on the countertop before racing after her.

**Author's Note:**

> \- Who caught the JAG reference?
> 
> \- I've tended to be pretty against the idea of Thomas and Kara having a kid as a concept, for a lot of reasons. However, the other day I started to consider _yeah, but what if?_ I don't know if I'm done thinking about it, but this is just what kinda spilled out last night. Talk to me about it in the comments if you'd like. I'd probably like. 
> 
> \- Thank you for reading! This ship is kind of like a baby I didn't birth but am helping to raise. That is to say, they're very special to me. So if you're taking time to read this, I LOVE YOU.


End file.
